MARRIAGE

We both had few finances when we met so arranged our wedding ceremony to be held at Eastbourne Town Hall and held a small wedding reception at a hotel in Fairlight. I can honestly say that until I examined our certificate of marriage I had no idea Mac had been married before and had fathered three children because his hospital records stated he was a bachelor and he had given me no reason to disbelieve this. When we met I did not know that he was in fact waiting for the necessary two years to pass to be eligible to receive his divorce papers. He begged me after our wedding for whatever reason to keep his secret and I have until this time but think now that I am laying a few ghosts I will include this one.

I had no idea where his past family were but when Mac died his ex wife did contact me to verify that the news she had heard via a relative was true. That was the only contact I have ever had with that side of his previous life and all I know of his children is that he had a daughter and two sons.

As Mac had a flat in Eastbourne it was practical that we start our life together there so wanting to continue working in the area I knew continued to travel to and from Hastings daily. By this time I had taken a post as Sister in a geriatric hospital at St Leonards on Sea being in charge of 60 patients of both sexes. I found this part of my nursing life very satisfying and interesting and I liked to find time to talk to my elderly charges that had so many colourful tales to tell.

This building was in two sections and we had to go outside to access either one. On one occasion I was walking across the outside area when a sea-gull flying over-head dropped a large fish head onto my head and it slithered down my face? I don’t know who was most surprised me or the bird?

One elderly lady patient was very pleased and proud to be able to tell me that she had nursed Florence Nightingale until her demise and I heard many other similar stories from other patients who had tales to tell.

After a couple of years travelling I took a sisters post nearer home in Eastbourne again looking after the older generation and enjoyed this equally as much as my previous post.

I had for some time been accident prone and sometimes my left leg would not do what I wanted it to do causing me to trip and fall. On one occasion I became unconscious for some hours and had to undergo a lumbar puncture. However I chose to ignore these happenings and when a post of Nursing Officer came available at All Saints Hospital I was a successful applicant.